Ib: Crumbling Gallery
by TiffanyTorolo
Summary: Hi! This is my first fanfic! (Sorry if it's bad :P) It's about Ib & Gary coming back to the gallery- but a new monster is haunting the gallery... Note: The marks on Monster Gary's face are a nod to Hatsune Miku's song "Matryoshka" Rated T for violence, peril and disturbing/ horror themes.
1. Back again

Ib: Crumbling Gallery  
(Two years after the ending A Promise of Reunion, Ib and Gary meet back up at the art gallery- but they get trapped yet again! However, without Mary, the art gallery has gone to shambles, making it even more dangerous. Along the way, they meet new people, barely escape death, and find a new monster haunting the gallery...)

Ib is waiting in the empty art gallery. She hears footsteps echo across the floor. "Gary? Are you there? It's me, Ib, remember?" Ib calls out. Gary walks up to her. "Ib! There you are, I've been looking all over the place for you!" Gary smiled. Ib beamed back. "Yep, it's me! I hope you remembered to wash my handkerchief! Mother's been frantic looking for it." "Yeah, about that..." Gary laughed nervously. Ib sighed then smiled.  
Just then, the power went out, and everything was dark. "W-What? A power outage?! Oh no, not again!" shrieked Ib. Don't worry, we just need to find the exit." Gary said gently.  
Ib ran to the door. "... It's locked!" Ib shouted. _BAM_! All the glass- the windows, the exit signs, the mirrors- shattered, spraying Gary and Ib in millions of shards of glass. Ib screamed, terrified, and Gary was knocked to the ground. Small cuts littered his and Ib's face, and he was breathing heavily. "Gary... I'm scared..." Ib murmured. "Oh come on Ib, that wasn't th-that sc-scary." Gary tried to reassure her, but in truth he was shaking. "I'm a coward." He thought to himself. "But I can't let Ib know that."  
_Plip_. A black drop of liquid fell at Ib's feet. She looked up, and the ceiling was dripping with thick, oozy black liquid. Gary looked at Ib. Her eyes had gone glassy. "It's happening again... it's calling to us... it's our only escape..." she said in a trance. Gary grabbed her hand and pulled her along. "RUN!" he yelled. They stopped at the portal, 'Abyss of the Deep'. The black liquid was closing in, and it was already nearly up to ankle-length. "We'll have to jump! There's no other way! This stuff is like tar!" Ib shouted. "Okay! One, two, thr-three!" Holding hands, they both jumped down into the portal as if it were a large rabbit hole, falling down, down, down, deeper into the water...  
Ib landed with a thump on the hard floor. Gary lay a few feet away from her, rubbing his head and mumbling. Ib looked around. She was in the same room she had first landed in, yet it was quite different. Slash, burn, and claw marks adorned the walls. The floor was stained with blood.

"... What happened here?" she asked, trembling. Gary sat up, looked around then shouted "My coat! My coat! Where's my coat?!" Ib looked down the hall, where a trail of fabric led off into the darkness. "Hey look a trail! Should we follow it?" Ib asked Gary hesitantly. Gary smiled. "We have no where else to be, so let's follow the fabric to get some tea! Hahahaha!" He laughed. Ib stared him, turned around and walked down the hall. It led to a dead end, where leaning against the walls sat a realistic, familiar looking doll. She had blonde hair, big blue eyes, and wore a green frock and blue ribbon. "I didn't know Guertena made a Mary doll." Gary speculated. "Let's turn around, that doll is creeping me out."

"Gary... Ib... you came back for me... I'm so happy... it's a shame I have to kill you." the doll said in Mary's voice. In a flash, Gary whirled around, and picked up the doll by it's small neck. "I'm tired of this bullcrap." _Thunk_. He drove a knife deep into the doll's chest. A long scream rang out, but Gary kept stabbing the doll over and over again. Ib stepped back, shaking in fear. "Gary would never... he wouldn't do such a thing... would he...?" Ib thought. Gary turned around and smiled at Ib. "Don't worry Ib! The monsters are all gone now!" he said cheerfully. "Now where to next?"

"We should find our roses." Ib said. "Of course! Hey, Ib, look! It's a red daisy!" Gary held up a red rose-Ib's rose, to be precise. "... Gary, that's my rose. Can't you tell them apart?" "No... Well kinda. Don't worry, Ib!" Gary half-heartedly smiled and ruffled Ib's hair. "... Maybe it was just the fall..." Ib speculated to herself.  
A few hallways down, Gary stopped Ib. "Hey Ib. I don't trust that tree." "Huh? What tree?" said the confused Ib. "There's nothing there." Gary picked up a ball from of the ground and flung it at the empty wall. He smiled proudly. "See look Ib! There's blue paint dripping off it." Ib felt fear creeping into her heart. She backed up slowly. "Gary... this isn't funny! Stop it...!" Ib mumbled. "It's whispering to me... like a wind god... telling me to come here..." Ib covered her eyes, her hands trembling. "Gary... you're scaring me..." Ib shouted. She tripped and fell down, looking up at Gary in fear. "Heh. Ib, I'm scaring myself. This tree... it's so cold." He touched the wall momentarily, and pulled back his fingers, which were now covered in paint. He turned around to face Ib. Ib screamed "Stop it! Get away from me!". Gary's eyebrows pushed together, full of concern. "Ib wait-" Then he fell to the floor coughing, doubled over wheezing. _Gack! Cough cough! Wheeze._

A small doll sat in front of Gary, a message hastily scrawled out in blood. "_**HEY ARE YOU OKAY GARY?**_" Gary scrambled against a wall, his hair covering his eyes and casting a long shadow upon his face. "I-I-I..." Gary raised his head. Three black marks covered his nose, and blue dots had appeared underneath his eyes. His eyes had gone a strange shade of red. "GET AWAY YOU DOLL!" Gary roared. He threw the doll down the hallway. "Gary...! Your face...! There's marks... and your eyes...!" screamed Ib. Gary rubbed his face furiously. "It burns! It burns!" he bellowed. "G-Gary! You...You...You're turning into a monster!" Ib screamed at the the top of her lungs, then ran away into the darkness.


	2. Monster, Monster!

_... "Gary...! Your face...! There's marks... and your eyes...!" screamed Ib. Gary rubbed his face furiously. "It burns! It burns!" he bellowed. "G-Gary! You...You...You're turning into a monster!" Ib screamed at the the top of her lungs, then ran away into the darkness..._

Gary stood up, his legs wobbling. He felt strange, as if calm ocean waves were battling a raging storm. "This place... it doesn't threaten me anymore..." he murmured. He looked at the doll lying limp on the floor, then bent over and picked it up. "But Ib... I can get her out of here... since I am an enemy of this museum no longer..." Gary felt a small tug on his pant leg. Another doll pointed to the dark hallway where Ib had ran to. "_**Gary... let's go find her...**_" it whispered. Gary nodded mutely. It ran off into the darkness, with Gary following close behind.

_Huff, huff_. "That _couldn't_ of been the real Gary... But no time to wonder about that, I need to keep moving!" Ib mumbled to herself. She spotted a door up ahead. Over the door hung a giant empty portrait. Ib walked forwards, but a giant blue doll, red eyes flashing menacingly, popped up out of the portrait and blocked the doorway. Ib screamed "NOOOO!" and fell backwards. A swarm of small blue dolls pinned the screaming and struggling Ib down onto the floor. Desperate cries of "Help! Help me!" rang out, only to be swallowed up by the thick silence.

Gary rounded the corner and saw Ib and the dolls. "Back away from her now!" He commanded the dolls. On the wall, a message appeared, written in fresh-smelling blood. "**_But I thought you wanted to find her? Here she is_**!"  
Gary smiled crazily, then laughed. "Now, now dolls, this is not how you treat our special guest! Now move aside, and thank you, but I wish not to see this happen again..." He knelt down next to the still-horrified Ib. "Are you alright, Ib?" he asked gently.  
Ib looked at him with eyes full of fear, anger, and hatred. "I thought you didn't like dolls... I guess I was wrong." she moaned quietly. Tears began flowing from Ib's large eyes, streaming down her pale face. She turned, and tried to enter the room again, but the massive doll swatted her out of the way. Gary smiled down at the doll he was holding. He lovingly kissed the top of it's head. Gary laughed lightly. "They are sort of cute... anyway Ib, I'm not going to hurt you... I'm the same Gary, I swear."  
Ib scoffed. "The SAME GARY?! No, you're not the same Gary who protected me from this gallery two years ago! Why should I believe you about not wanting to hurt me? You could be... Mary's older brother, out for revenge! So just BACK AWAY!" Ib yelled.  
"What have I done to make you think I'm different? I-I wanna go home too..." Gary shrieked back. The dolls whispered "**_You are home, Gary._**" "Yes, you're right... But Ib, I can help you. Just let me help you." pleaded Gary.

Ib stared at the floor, her brown hair covering her eyes. "Lies... lies... lies..." She looked up, her deep red eyes flashing furiously, and screamed "THEY'RE ALL LIES!" Ib took out a small pocket lighter Gary had once given her. She threw the lighter at the giant doll, and watched as it slowly burned down. Gary started laughing hysterically. Ib fake smiled at him and with a simple "Bye-bye! 3" she ran off down the hallway as fast as she could. She flung open the door, which lead to another passageway. Then she dashed off. Gary watched her silently, and ran off in the opposite direction.

Ib couldn't stop running. Her legs had turned numb. Then- _Oof! _Ib bumped right into a girl. They both fell down with a _thump. _The girl looked up. "Mar- oh sorry. Wrong person." Ib stood up quickly. "Who are you?!" she asked. The girl had soft, sugar brown hair, with large gold eyes that shone like a diamond. She wore a simple lacy tunic and dark pants. She looked about Ib's age, maybe a little older. "My name's Suzy. I'm looking for my sister. Have you seen her? She has blonde hair, big blue eyes, and wears a green frock and blue ribbon. She likes playing with the dollies. Her name is...

Mary.


	3. On the Edge of Insanity

_...Oof! Ib bumped right into a girl. They both fell down with a thump. The girl looked up. "Mar- oh sorry. Wrong person." Ib stood up quickly. "Who are you?!" she asked. The girl had soft, sugar brown hair, with large gold eyes that shone like a diamond. She wore a simple lacy tunic and dark pants. She looked about Ib's age, maybe a little older. "My name's Suzy. I'm looking for my sister. Have you seen her? She has blonde hair, big blue eyes, and wears a green frock and blue ribbon. She likes playing with the dollies. Her name is..._

_Mary._

"Keep my legs moving, keep the moving." Gary thought. It seemed he was in control again. "That thing... That _monster..._ took over me..." Gary mumbled. An army of dolls chased after him, though they didn't seem malicious. His heart pounding loudly, he closed his eyes and made a mad sprint.

_Thump!_ He collided with a person, and they both fell to the floor. Gary looked at the person- it was a young, polished man with rather shaggy dirty blonde hair, large golden eyes and a red and white rose tucked into his shirt pocket. The dolls surrounded the youth, shouting "_**GET AWAY GET AWAY GET AWAY FROM OUR KING!"**_The man shook in fear.

Gary helped the man up. "Hey, I'm Gary, you?" The man mumbled "I-I'm Damien. I'm looking for my two sisters. One of them has sugar brown hair, with large gold eyes. She wears a lacy white tunic. Her name's Suzy. We split up about an hour ago looking for my other sister." Damien gulped. Gary scratched his head. "Who's your other sister?" he asked. "I'm getting to that... anyway she's about 9, and she looks a bit like me- blonde hair, blue eyes... she wears a green dress and a blue ribbon. Her name's Mary." Gary sucked in his breath. His face burned, and his blood was rushed through his body. And suddenly, Gary wasn't Gary anymore. "I haven't run into Suzy... but I know where Mary is." Gary heard himself saying. "You do?! Where is she?!" Damien shouted.

Suddenly, realization struck Gary. The monster was controlling him! 'Gary' looked down at the floor. "I've been to this gallery once before. I was friends with Mary... but... she killed herself." Damien gasped, then his eyes glazed over. He fell to his knees, staring off into space, tears cascading from his eyes.

The dolls looked up at 'Gary'. "_**What should we do with him, my Lord?"**_they asked in unison. 'Gary' smiled. "I feel sorry for the poor soul. Find Suzy and bring her here to her older brother!" He commanded the dolls. They rushed off, leaving Gary alone with the sobbing Damien.

Suzy and Ib were hiding in a corner from the mannequins, which had been chasing them for the last five minutes. Ib sighed. "Phew... I think we're safe here Suzy." They paused for a moment, listening in the darkness. "Hey Ib... I think I hear footsteps." Suzy whispered. Ib flinched. "It must be the dolls!" Ib breathed. Suzy smiled. "Don't worry Ib, I can take care of them! They like me!" Suzy walked out of their hiding place, standing in front of the army of dolls. "Hey dollies!" She said. The dolls seized her, crawling over her legs and arms. She tumbled down, allowing the dolls to lift her up and carry her off. "NOOOOOOOO-" she yelled.

A small walked up to 'Gary'. "Oh, hello Jimmy. What is it?" 'Gary' asked. The doll-Jimmy- whispered something in Gary's ear. Gary was shocked. He bit his lower lip in frustration. "What?! Go stop them! Tell them to treat poor Suzy kindly!" Then, the swarm of dolls appeared, carrying a screaming Suzy. Her eyes wearing full of fear and bloodshot from crying. "_**What so you need her for,**_** king?**" "RELEASE HER AT ONCE! WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT TREATING SPECIAL GUESTS AS SO?!" 'Gary' roared. His red eyes flashed and changed to black.

Suzy wailed, "MONSTER! MONSTER!IB HELP ME! ANYBODY! SAVE ME!" She struggled free from the dolls and ran into Damien's arms. "Suzy, I'm Damien's friend! I'm Damien's friend Gary! It's okay!" Gary tried to console Suzy, but she shook her head. "Damien would _never _be friends with a monster like you! No wonder Ib ran away from you!" "Gary... You do look sorta frightening..." Damien admitted. "Hey Damien... after we find Mary, can we find the real Gary too? Ib said the real Gary is kind and looks nice." "... okay, Suzy." Damien smiled down gently at his baby sister.

_"Why... does everyone tell me I'm a monster? I would never do these things... but every time I try and take control, every time I try to become... me again, it hurts like hell. As if my essence was being torn apart... but I can't stop fighting... not when Ib's out there... poor Ib all alone... now matter what the cost, I MUST get Ib out of here... even if it kills me."_

Ib ran up to Suzy. "Suzy? I heard you scream, are you okay?" She saw Gary and froze, her eyes widening with shock and fear. Gary didn't notice Ib, and stared intently at Suzy and Damien. He reached out to them, and they both flinched and drew back.

"Can you help me find the real Gary also? I don't want to be..." he seized his jacket sleeve "_...this _anymore! I don't want to be a monster! I just want to be the old me- the Ib-hugging, art-loving, scary-thing-hating, cowardly Gary!" Gary started sobbing heavily. He screamed through the sobs, "I don't want to be a monster! I **_hate _**this monster inside of me!"

"... _**I HATE **_** HIM!**"


	4. The Tale of Four Siblings

_"Can you help me find the real Gary also? I don't want to be..." he seized his jacket sleeve "...this anymore! I don't want to be a monster! I just want to be the old me- the Ib-hugging, art-loving, scary-thing-hating, cowardly Gary!" Gary started sobbing heavily. He screamed through the sobs, "I don't want to be a monster! I __**hate **__this monster inside of me!"_

_"... __**I HATE HIM!**__"_

* * *

Ib felt hot tears fall onto her face. She gasped a small, quiet sob. Gary turned around. "Ib I-" Gary stopped and looked at Suzy and Damien. "... I don't want to see them like this... full of fear..." He murmured. He stood up abruptly. His eyes watered, then a single, small tear fell onto his distorted face. As soon as it touched his skin, it disintegrated with a small puff of smoke. Gary turned and ran off towards the doll room.

"I hate monsters. He reminds of my sister when she gets angry..." Suzy said softly. Damien coughed and cleared his throat. He hands balled into fists, nails digging into his palms. Damien gritted his teeth and looked up at the dank ceiling. "Ahh yes, about that..."

_**What's wrong, my lord?**_hummed the dolls. They tugged at Gary's pant leg, butted his heel, but that only made Gary walk faster. His face burned, his heart pounded hard, and his blood rushed through his body. His breathing turned to sharp, rough gasps. "Leave me alone!" he managed to wheeze. The Lady in Red looked down at him from her painting. She dropped an old sketchbook. _**Don't hold your feelings back, king.**_ She said with a smile. Gary dropped down to the floor and seized the notepad. Gary ran his fingers through his hair, weeping heavily. "M-my f-friends h-_hate _me!" stuttered Gary. _**Were they ever truly your friends?**_she asked. Gary looked up. "Of course! I mean..." The Lady in Red smiled, showing her glistening teeth. She held out her hand. _**Join us Gary. Join the gallery. We can be here forever.**_Gary reached out when...

_"Gary? Gary where are you? Help me! PLEASE! Gary!" _a familiar voice called out in Gary's head. Gary drew back his hand. "I must go!" Exclaimed Gary. He ran off in the direction where he left Ib.

Dolls surrounded Suzy, Damien, and Ib. They grabbed at the kid's clothes, scratching their ankles, tearing bits of clothing. _**YOU HAVE ANGERED OUR KING YOU HAVE SADDENED OUR KING YOU HAVE ANGERED OUR KING YOU HAVE SADDENED OUR KING NOW**_ **_DIE!_**  
Suzy screamed out a long "NOOOOOOOO~" before the dolls dragged her under.

Gary rounded a corner to see the attacking dolls. "IB! NO!" roared Gary. Then, the lights flickered off. They were in total darkness for ten seconds. Then the lights flickered back on, and Gary met a horrific sight.

Suzy and Damien were hung by their necks in a scraggly noose. 偽りhad been carved into Suzy's chest, and 怒りwas carved into Damien's. Ib lay covered in scratches and blood, dolls gripping onto each limb. Ib called out urgently, "GARY HELP ME! THEY WANT TO HANG ME NEXT!"

Gary was quick to recover. He flung a doll off Ib's right arm and cried out "Mannequins, statues and Ladies in Red, blue, yellow and green, kill them! They have disobeyed their king!" Gary pointed at the dolls, which dropped Ib and tried to scramble off. Ib covered her eyes and collapsed onto the cold, blood-stained floor. She didn't move. Paintings and statues chased the dolls. Everything was in complete pandemonium. Gary felt the burning in his face subside, and his pulse settled down. He picked up the unconscious Ib in his arms.

He spotted a dark, shadowy figure kneeling next to the corpses of Suzy and Damien. The man cut them free from the noose, and stroked their heads. "No... not again..." he sighed a short, low sigh. "I guess I'm the only one left..." He raised his head and looked straight at Gary.

The man was rather tall, about 6 feet tall, with black hair with purple highlights and deep purple eyes. He wore a reaper's hooded robe over casual looking clothes. He stared a Gary mournfully. "W-who are you?" Gary asked. "Hmm? Oh, my name's Wraith. I'm a painting, just like my brothers and sisters." the stranger said in a silky voice. _How straightforward..._ Gary thought. Wraith looked at the comatose Ib. "Hey, I know a room up ahead where she can rest." He said lightly. He pointed down a long hallway. "Next to the first doorway, go straight through the wall. There's a secret room with no dangerous stuff in it. Just books." _He seems trustworthy... _Gary mused. Gary nodded, shifting his weight to support the limp Ib. "Thanks." Gary nodded his head appreciatively. Wraith picked up a doll and handed him to Gary. "Here you go! Anyway, I have to go. But I have a feeling we'll cross paths again..." With that, Wraith walked off into the blackness, leaving his dead brother and sister behind.

Gary stared after him for a moment, then walked off to the hallway. Sure enough, there was a secret room filled with books, just as Wraith had said. Gary laid Ib down gently, set the doll on a bookcase and picked up a random book.

Gary read aloud, "'_Guertena once created a family of paintings in secret. Four siblings, two boys and two girls. The eldest sibling appeared to be around the age of 20, while the youngest around 9. Here are the siblings:_

_Wraith of all that is true and all that is lies_  
_"Guertena made this to honor a friend he said had died, it incompeces all the lies and truths that he had said over his life, quoted Guertena." the missing left hand represents the conseqence of lies" _

_The Hunter "Guertena painted this picture to show the pride and unity between a young man and his (tamed?) fox. This is signified by the suit the man is wearing and the white and red roses embroidering the painting. _

_Innocence "Depicted is a pretty girl who looks about twelve, with large golden eyes. It is said Guertena created her as companion to his other painting ..."_

"? The rest of the page has been burned." Gary said slowly. Just then, Ib sat up sleepily. Gary crouched down and looked Ib straight in her eyes. "Ib it's me, Gary, are you okay?" Ib tilted her head. "Mary?" she asked. Gary shook his head. "No, Mary's gone remember?" Gary stated gently, putting a cold wet handkerchief on her head. Ib blinked shyly. "I'm sorry for burning you, Mary. I wanted to be your friend, I honestly did... but I don't want Gary or me to die either." Ib went silent, listening, then beamed. "You forgive me? Yay!" Ib abruptly stood up and hugged someone invisible. Gary grabbed Ib by her shoulders and shook her violently. "Ib! Ib, Mary's dead! There's no one there!" He shouted in her face. _She's not giving me the silent treatment... she really doesn't know I'm here! _Ib wandered over to the bookcases and picked up the doll off the shelf. Gary stood by her side, gazing at her worriedly. Ib smiled down at the doll. "Hmm? Gary's speaking to me? But there's no one here... well except for Mary and you..." She looked straight through Gary. "Where is Gary?"

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you The Dark Denizen for suggesting me the amazing OC Wraith! No seriously, thank you so much ^_^ Also, 偽りmeans 'falsehood/lies/fabrication' in Japanese, and 怒りis 'anger'.


	5. Ib's Insanity

_Ib went silent, listening, then beamed. "You forgive me? Yay!" Ib abruptly stood up and hugged someone invisible. … I__b smiled down at the doll. "Hmm? Gary's speaking to me? But there's no one here... well except for Mary and you..." She looked straight through Gary. "Where is Gary?"_

* * *

_I taste….Rust. Salt. Red… I'm covered in red… It's blood… my blood…. My head's throbbing… and there's dolls… dolls…. Dolls…! "_GARY HELP ME! THEY WANT TO HANG ME NEXT!" She cried out, but her strength was draining quickly. She felt Gary prying dolls off her small limbs, and was about to murmur a small "Thank you…" ,when she lost consciousness.

Ib opened her eyes to darkness. She was nowhere, just floating in a starless space… no, this wasn't space, this was an abyss. She couldn't feel anything except the sound of her heart beating faster than she had ever felt it. _Am I… dead? I hope Gary's alright… _Ib paused and grimaced soberly. _Gary…. _She covered her eyes to stop hot tears from welling up in her eyes. _What happened to him? Why did he become…. that… monster? Is the real Gary still in there? _She tried to sigh, but a lump of guilt caught in her throat. _I was so mean to him… maybe he really didn't mean to do any harm to me…_

A man walked up to the hovering Ib. He was tall, nearly two feet taller than Ib. He wore a dark cloak, with dark hair swept near his left eye, but despite his grim appearance, his face seemed downright amiable. He smiled down at Ib. "Hey Ib." he said in a silky deep voice. Ib stared up at the man, gazing into his deep, swirling purple eyes.

"Who are you? And where am I?" Ib asked roughly. She was surprised at how much it hurt to talk, and she felt like acid was flowing through her veins instead of blood. The man laughed a great, loose laugh that seemed out of place in such a dismal void. "My apologies. You are in the World of Kyōki. My name is Wraith. I do believe you've met my er, late siblings." Ib looked at Wraith. "Your late siblings? You don't mean…" Ib trailed off, distracted by the pounding in her head.

She held in a scream of pain. Wraith noticed her injured look, and calmly held up his left arm. _Why doesn't he have a left hand? _thought Ib. A shadowy left hand appeared, and Wraith pressed it to Ib's cheek gently. It felt like fire, hot, burning fire, and Ib cried out in pain, her back arching. Wraith chuckled a low, grim laugh. "Ib… you're so cold…" Ib gasped out "No…! You're just… blazing…!"

Wraith closed his eyes lightly. "Ib, do you know what the word Kyōki means?" he said quietly. Ib managed to nod. "It means madness, insanity." He looked Ib straight in her eyes, then muttered "This is your sanity. Somewhere out there, your body is wandering around, going insane." Ib couldn't process his words. Wraith turned around, his back facing Ib. "You're dying Ib. Just look at yourself." Ib looked down and gasped through a mouthful of blood. She was covered in scratches and blood, and she was paler than snow. Her white uniform was soaked in blood, her ribbon had been torn to shreds. Her eyes shifted to her left leg. _Oh God. _Her leg had been eaten away by… a strange darkness. Ib forced herself to look away. Wraith continued, "The darkness will eat you away until you disappear. Meanwhile in the real world, you will be slowly going insane." He started to walk away. Ib cried out "You monster! Can't you help me?" Wraith looked back at Ib, a faint smile on his face. "But Ib… I'm in the same situation as you are…" He pulled off his cloak to reveal the same strange darkness eating away at his arm. "For some reason, for you it's spreading at a ridiculously fast pace…" Wraith paused then sighed. "But I may be able to do something about it." He reached out his right hand to Ib. "Trust me, Ib."

* * *

Gary backed away slowly. Ib touched her leg softly. "Ow." she winced. Gary rushed over. "Are you hurt?" Ib clutched the doll to her chest murmuring "Not enough… not enough…" Gary heard the doll say _**She just wants a hug. **_Gary leaned over and hugged Ib tight, burying her face in his chest. Ib hugged him back. She was colder than ice. "Gary… you're warm…" she said into his chest. Gary kissed the top of her head. "It'll be okay, Ib." "…! Too…warm…!" Ib slumped down in Gary's arms. Gary looked down at her, and gasped at what he saw.

Her left leg was gone.


	6. Wraith's Tale

_Gary kissed the top of her head. "It'll be okay, Ib." "…! Too…warm…!" Ib slumped down in Gary's arms. Gary looked down at her, and gasped at what he saw._

_Her left leg was gone._

* * *

My name is Wraith. It's short for 'Wraith of All That is True and All That is Lies'. It's a long full name, I know. Today will mark my 200th year alive… no, more like existing. I don't have blood rushing through my veins, I don't have real hair or skin or eyelashes…. I'm just a painting, after all.

I have three younger siblings. Damien, the hunter who's always calm. He's like the glue that brings us together. I hate him. Shouldn't the oldest be the one who brings the family together? Then there's Suzy. She's acts so innocent and pure, but she's really evil. Her insults sting like wasps. "Why can't you be more like Damien? He's always so calm! You're just another unfinished painting!"I hate her the most. Finally, there's Mary. She was the one person who actually loved me. She was so bubbly, all the time. She didn't like Damien either, so sometimes we'd sneak off and have fun on our own, telling each other our secrets and worries. And then… Father died. Just like that, BAM!, we got separated. Only Mary stayed behind.

When I finally found our old home, our former gallery, it had gone to shambles. The paintings told me what happened. How a little girl named Ib and a young man named Gary came in one day and killed Mary. I had never hated someone so much. But then, I found Suzy and Damien, looking for Mary also. They ran away the second they saw me. And then they died. Despite hating them, I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I was the last of the painting children, as Father had called us.

Yet when I saw Gary for the first time, I was shocked to look how much he looked like Father. The same fading blue eyes, the rumpled purple hair…. and I saw her. _How could this little girl be my sister's murderer? _I thought. Then I realized, it must of been the man, who influenced her to kill my sister! But I swallowed my hate. _This is destroying me… my sibling's deaths, these overwhelming memories… I can't let it kill me…_ The little girl, Ib, reminded me of Mary somehow. _Nothing good will come out of hating her. _I thought. So helped Ib and Gary. But then I met Ib in the World of Kyōki… and saw she was going to meet the same fate as me. Or will she go insane first, I wasn't quite sure. This was punishment for her sins….. but I decided to help her….

…...and in turn sacrifice myself.

* * *

Gary stared down at Ib's missing leg. The lights flickered for a moment, and Gary looked back down at Ib's leg. It was back, as if it had never been gone in the first place. Gary rubbed his eyes, and the lights went out again.

_Swish. _A gust of wind blew on to Gary's face, then he felt a sharp stabbing pain across his cheek. 5 seconds later, the lights turned back on. Ib was lying across his lap, a palette knife in her hand, dripping with fresh blood. Gary put his hand up to his face absently, and found a small slash across his cheek, stained scarlet. Gary pressed gently on the cut, pain darting through him. He put his hands into his hands, swallowing sobs.

Minutes passed by, a heavy silence in the room. Gary felt a small hand on his shoulder. He looked up, to see a strangely smiling Ib. She had black marks on her nose and mouth, and under her eyes. Her grip on Gary's shoulder tightened, her small fingers crushing into the bone. She said in a broken voice. "Gary….. I give you…..

_**Monster**_** Ib.**


	7. The World of Kyōki

_Gary felt a small hand on his shoulder. He looked up, to see a strangely smiling Ib. She had black marks on her nose and mouth, and under her eyes. Her grip on Gary's shoulder tightened, her small fingers crushing into the bone. She said in a broken voice. "Gary….. I give you….._

_**Monster Ib.**_

* * *

_I'm so cold…. _Ib thought. All her other senses were gone, all she could feel was the cold. She couldn't see or hear or taste anything. She waited, for minutes, hours, days?- she wasn't quite sure-, lying there in the darkness, wrapped in the cold. Slowly, her sight and hearing returned. Everything was fuzzy, and every sound echoed, but at least she could see and hear. She heard footsteps, and looked up to see a blurry man with purple eyes and a black robe standing over her- Wraith. He pressed a hand to Ib's stomach. It was warm, and seemed to slowly melt away the ice.

"Wha…. you… doing…?" Ib struggled to speak, but her throat felt thick. Wraith looked at her with kind eyes. "I'm healing you, Ib." Ib tried to say something, but couldn't. Ib stared into his deep purple eyes as her vision became clearer and her senses returned. She felt her strength return to her, bit by bit. While he slowly healed her, Wraith said, "After this, the darkness plague won't bother you anymore. And maybe you'll escape from this place." He sighed quietly. "Won't that be great, Ib?" She nodded.

Soon, she sat up. "Thank you." She murmured quietly. Wraith nodded, his eyes clouded. Then, suddenly, he collapsed. "Wraith!" Ib called out, but he didn't answer. She watched in horror as the strange, sick darkness spread up from Wraith's hand, reaching up towards his neck, creeping down towards his legs, until his body was covered in the darkness. Only his face remained uneaten by the darkness, but it was spreading fast.

His lips moved, but no sound came out. Ib peered into his frightened face, trying to read his lips.

"Mary."

Then the darkness reached his face, and swallowed up his head. Then, he was gone. Nothing left except a pool of blood where he was.

Ib fell on to her knees. The ground was red and sticky. Tears started cascading from her eyes. "WRAAAAAITH!" she screamed out, but there was no one to hear her. She was all alone.

* * *

Monster Ib smiled up at Gary. When he didn't say anything, Ib opened her eyes and frowned. She said in an odd, high-pitched, broken voice, "You know, your much funner when you're Monster Gary. All this, and what thanks do I get? A weird look and the silent treatment!" 'Ib' took Gary's hand and smiled broadly again. "I have a good idea!" "What?" "How about… we rule this gallery together! Just like the dolls said!"

Gary wrenched his hand away. "NO!" In a fit of rage, he struck Ib across the face.

_He slapped Ib._

When Gary realized what he had done, he backed up, repeating "Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" over and over again. Ib didn't say anything.

Then Ib blinked and lifted her head. The marks on her face were gone, and she was crying.

"Wraith… he… he…" Ib lowered her head into hands, which were shaking. "Yes, honey? What did Wraith do?" Gary asked calmly in a low voice, patting her back gently. "He… he… DIED!" Ib wailed. Gary paused. _Wraith? Dead? Impossible. _"He died?" Gary said softly. Ib nodded, still sobbing.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that." said a low, silky voice from the doorway.

* * *

Sorry this chapter was SUPER short. I didn't had much motivation to write this….


	8. The Painting Children

_"Wraith… he… he…" Ib lowered her head into hands, which were shaking. "Yes, honey? What did Wraith do?" Gary asked calmly in a low voice, patting her back gently. "He… he… DIED!" Ib wailed. Gary paused. Wraith? Dead? Impossible. "He died?" Gary said softly. Ib nodded, still sobbing._

_"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that." said a low, silky voice from the doorway._

* * *

Gary looked up at the doorway. Standing there in his shadowy black robe, a smiling Wraith turned his head towards Ib. "Hello, Ib. Hello, Gary. Pleasure meeting you there." he said smoothly.

From around the corner, two heads poked out, a wide-eyed girl and a weary-looking boy. "Ib-chan!" cried the girl, and she stepped into the room. The other two also walked into the room.

The girl stood over Ib, smiling broadly, her white lacy tunic glittering with a strange, iridescent sheen. The girl knelt down, her sugar-brown hair sweeping over the side of her head and tickling Ib's nose. "What's wrong?" Ib glanced up.

Her eyes widened and she scrambled backwards hastily. "Y-y-you're supposed to b-be dead!" Her voice was bordering on hysteria, and the panic showed in her eyes. Suzy huffed. "Well that's not a very nice thing to say! And to think, I came back from the _dead _for you and this is the thanks I get?! Rude!" "Suzy, don't lie." Damien said quietly. Suzy batted her eyelashes innocently. "Sorry, brother dear!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Gary saw Wraith clench his fist and glare at Suzy. _Wraith doesn't like Suzy? _Gary thought. Damien silently walked up to Gary and tapped his shoulder. Gary flinched. "We're here to help you and Ib." Damien said softly. Gary nodded slowly, not sure whether to trust him or not. Suzy nodded in agreement to Damien. "We're here to help you get out of this hellhole of a gallery!" Damien patted Suzy's head softly. "No cussing, Suzy. It's not polite." She laughed.

"I-I don't understand… I saw all of you die right before my very eyes." Ib spoke slowly to conceal her fear. Wraith walked up to her and half-smiled. "Well, you can't hang a painting." He blinked, realized what he just said and laughed. Wraith's laugh seemed to break the tension in the air. Gary smiled and sighed. Suzy giggled. Ib seemed to ease up a little. "As for me… well, think of it as if that was only a part of me that died."

As if all her worries had disappeared, Ib nodded and gave a little laugh. Gary stared at her in amazement. How long had it been since he heard Ib laugh? Wait- did he ever?

As he was pondering this, Suzy took Gary's hand and smiled up at him. "Don't worry, we'll get you out of here. I promise!" Gary looked down at Suzy, staring at her bright, golden eyes. Gary felt a sinking feeling arise in him- was it unsettlement? Mistrust? He faked a smile and tried to pry his hand out of Suzy's grip, but she clung on. "I _promise." _She smiled broadly again. Gary felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. _What am I thinking? She's a little girl!_ "_ … Just like Mary."_ A little voice in his mind whispered. Gary flinched.

Damien cleared his throat. "Anyways, the escape route you used to escape from the gallery before burned down. But we found another way." The three siblings closed their eyes in unison, and said, "We just need you to trust us."

Ib and Gary glanced at each other. After a 5-second silent exchange, Gary found himself nodding along with Ib. Suzy gave a shrill, little laugh. "Excellent!" She exclaimed.

Damien whistled, and moments later, a scarlet fox charged into the room. Gary shrieked "Why is there a fox in here?!" Damien gave a low chuckle. "Don't worry, he's tame. His name is Kitsuu." Damien stroked the fox's head lovingly. "He is my companion." Kitsuu licked Damien's hand, his tail thumping like a dog's. "He can guide us out."

Suzy tittered. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get a move on! See, Wraith's practically halfway out the door already!" Wraith flinched when he heard his name. Head held high, Suzy, Damien, and his fox Kitsuu marched out the door. As Gary followed them, he heard Wraith murmur "Don't trust them… if you value your life… and Ib's." Then Wraith slipped out into the hallway, and disappeared without a trace.


End file.
